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The Student News Site of Walt Whitman High School

The Black and White

The Student News Site of Walt Whitman High School

The Black and White

The Student News Site of Walt Whitman High School

The Black and White

Though Greentree houses a large population with diverse needs, the largest sector of the shelter is dedicated to families experiencing homelessness.

Inside the homes at NCCF’s Greentree Shelter

By Hannah Mullins May 17, 2025

Some names have been changed to protect privacy. Children’s chatter echoes through the Greentree Shelter complex as volunteers filter in and out through the homes, each built with identical wooden...

Oberdorfer structured the class around a semester-long project in which students develop policy and action plans to address social justice issues in the community or the country.

Social Justice Through Public Policy: The newest addition to the LASJ program

By Benjamin Levy May 15, 2025

When Whitman launched the Leadership Academy for Social Justice (LASJ) in 2021, the program featured five classes: Introduction to Social Justice (LENS), African American Studies, LGBTQ+ Studies, Women’s...

While female jazz vocalists have grown more popular in recent years, there are still far fewer female instrumentalists than their male counterparts. 

Women in jazz: At Whitman and beyond

By Stella Bleiweis May 14, 2025

John Coltrane, Charlie Parker and Duke Ellington are some of the most well-known and influential names in jazz. Yet, names like Alice Coltrane, Mary Lou Williams and Esperanza Spalding are often forgotten...

Paul, a Workforce Development Specialist, meets with a client.

Jubilee Jobs: From prison to paycheck

By Cassidy Lewin May 13, 2025

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce reports that between 2021 and 2024, the workforce has fallen by around a million Americans. As a result, many employers cannot find sufficient staff, leading to ramifications...

The pressure to play on elite teams is high, especially in competitive communities like Whitman and at neighboring schools.

The price of play: How rising costs are impacting youth sports

By Kavya Rajani May 13, 2025

The cost of youth sports is skyrocketing, with families spending anywhere from five hundred dollars to five figures just to keep their children in the game. In affluent areas such as Bethesda, the pressure...

Five stories from the kids of Ukraine

Five stories from the kids of Ukraine

This story was published in print in April 2024.  The following interviews were conducted in Ukrainian and translated into English. “When I hear the helicopter sound, I start to remember the first...

Now consisting of over 3,000 franchises, the company has grown exponentially, generating nearly $17 billion in sales in 2021. 

Is it really immoral to eat at Chick-fil-A?

By Hannah Mullins April 21, 2025

In 1946, Truett Cathy opened The Dwarf Grill, a small restaurant in Atlanta that would eventually become the first Chick-fil-A. Known for its signature sauce, fried chicken and waffle fries, the brand...

In the game, participants play from the point of view of a student caught in a school shooting.

“The Final Exam”: a battleground for political commentary

By Katja Treadwell April 10, 2025

Trigger warning: this story contains references to gun violence and death On Valentine’s Day in 2018, 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz entered Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, carrying...

Although some food critics have deemed Crumbl’s cookies “too sweet” or disparaged their excessive size, the store’s marketing techniques and online presence made it an excessively popular brand, especially among teenagers.

Using TikTok to sell cookies: The Crumbl branding strategy

By Grace Miller April 7, 2025

As customers swarm into the bustling store, they are immediately hit with the sweet, enticing smell of freshly baked cookies. Shoppers scan this week’s list of flavor choices, excited to try the unique...

The Phoenix Recovery Academy is a private school with a $13,000 yearly tuition. It has three locations: Cloverleaf, Avery Road and Plum Orchard. All the branches share three pillars of overall success: attitude, attendance and achievement.

How MCPS pioneered alternative schooling

By Fiona Graham April 2, 2025

As defined by MCPS, alternative schools are educational facilities that exist to teach students who have struggled in their zoned schools. The 2022-2023 school year marked a rise nationwide in non-traditional...

With an increased trend for social activism, the number of nonprofits has grown at a steady rate of 1.4% annually over the past twenty years. However, numerous obstacles stand in the way of true success for these high school students, from employment to tax-exempt status.

Youth creating change: how nonprofits clash with performativity

By Katja Treadwell April 1, 2025

In June 2023, senior Suzy Samayoa co-founded a nonprofit dedicated to environmental education and conservation efforts. While the organization began strongly after Samayoa and the co-founders met during...

First ladies have accomplished numerous achievements throughout history. Through their work, they have facilitated change and helped improve the lives of Americans, altering the previous stereotyped perceptions of first ladies’ capabilities.

Five most influential first ladies

By Cassidy Lewin March 28, 2025

Over the past century, first ladies have repeatedly redefined their role, using various media platforms to speak out on pressing societal issues and cultural affairs. People tend to overlook first ladies...

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